Türkiye boosts local chip production with $5B investment
An engineer holds chips produced at a laboratory in the Gebze district of the northwestern province of Kocaeli, Türkiye, April 9, 2021. (AA Photo)
Under the HIT-30 High Technology Investment Program, Türkiye is accelerating its domestic chip production. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a $5 billion incentive package to support these efforts, attracting attention to ongoing projects in this field.
Collaborative efforts
The domestic chip production is a collaborative effort led by TUBITAK Bilgem, Aselsan, Arcelik, and YongaTek. The indigenous processor CAKIL, produced in Gebze, is utilized in unmanned aerial vehicles, while CENTIK, developed in partnership with Arcelik, will be integrated into home appliances.
CAKIL, YONCA projects
The CAKIL processor supports various defense applications, including fire control and flight systems. Meanwhile, the YONCA project will enable Türkiye to produce 16 nm chips for the first time, to produce critical chips below 7 nm in the future.
CENTIK’s global reach
Although designed in Türkiye, the CENTIK chip will be manufactured in Taiwan by TSMC. It will serve the domestic market and international sectors such as robotics, automotive, and IoT. The first batch is set to be delivered to a Dubai-based client, marking CENTIK’s initial export success.
Investment, prospects
President Erdogan emphasized the importance of developing Türkiye’s chip design and production capabilities. The $5 billion incentive includes capital contributions and grants to establish an industrial-scale chip factory in Türkiye.
The CENTIK chip is expected to be widely used in various home appliances by the end of 2025, with an annual production target of 25 million chips.
